Every year we pay rent that is equivalent to about one-fourth the cost of a house. And the flat is one-fourth the size of the house I would be buying. The same goes for school fees.

Plus, you have to supplement your children’s education with extra tutoring, because the school instruction is weak. That’s extra costs not factored into the price. Add to that transportation, since there aren’t neighborhood schools to which children can walk. The costs spiral out of control.

Those who are here and trying to keep up are caught between a rock and a hard place as salaries haven’t kept track with inflation. If, at least, we were getting value comparable to cost, it wouldn’t hurt as much.

Feda Jarad, Abu Dhabi

The UAE is the most expensive country in terms of education costs and somewhere down the bottom in terms of education quality.

Australian public schools are providing better education than the best private school here.

Costs are completely unjustified. Why would a parent of a KG student pay Dh50,000 for their child to do squiggles?

John Paravalos, Dubai

The cost of education is spiralling out of control. As expatriates, our expenses are massive.

If this trend continues, this country will become less attractive to expatriates.

Moreover, companies are cutting employee allowances. I think the authorities have to take a step back and take another look at how schools are charging fees.

Randall Mohammed, Dubai

Education should be cheap. The opposite is happening here. Schools have got a free hand to squeeze parents.

Noor Muhammed Aslam, Pakistan

Education is a right. If the UAE is committed to happiness, this is an area that can tremendously influence that aspiration.